


Ghost in Your Arms

by FilibusterMan



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, Goodbye Sex, Hurt No Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Sad Ending, are these tags spoilers?, damn it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:40:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24729112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FilibusterMan/pseuds/FilibusterMan
Summary: ****************SPOILERS****************Seriously.  Just a short one-shot with massive spoilers for the true ending of Persona 5 Royal as I process my many, many feelings.-------------------Akira and Akechi deal with things at the end.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 2
Kudos: 37





	Ghost in Your Arms

**Author's Note:**

> My heart...my feelings. I had been sort of working on a fic idea while I played through the end of the game BUT I WAS NOT PREPARED TO BE RIGHT.  
> The title comes from Mother Mother's song Ghosting.

“I want to talk to him.”

Morgana sighed heavily, glancing at Akira. “I--yeah, okay. I’m going to spend the night with Futaba, then.” He hopped out of the booth and slunk away. Akira watched him go, but Akechi’s gaze stayed on Akira.

“Your hesitation disgusts me,” said Akechi when they are alone.

Akira stared at where Morgana disappeared. He swallowed, his mouth dry. Honestly, his hesitation disgusted him as well. It wriggled in his heart like a worm. He finally looked at Akechi. His face was twisted with fury. “Akechi, doing this will...You’ll…” He couldn’t finish, his throat tight.

“After all that self-righteous drivel with your precious teammates, you would turn your eyes away? Over something so trivial?”

“It’s not trivial!” Akira’s face was flushed, his body tight.

“Tch-” started Akechi, but Akira barrelled on.

“My eyes are open. I’ll do it. I  _ will _ . But, Akechi-” His voice broke.

“These are your doubts?” he sneered.

Akira stared at Akechi, eyes burning. “No. Not doubts. Maybe, just...regrets.”

“Then say it.” Akira hesitated. “I want to hear you say it.”

Akira hoped his traitorous tears would stay in his eyes. He hoped they would stay out of his voice. “I will not accept this reality. We will take Maruki down.”

Akechi grinned, his eyes glinting madly in the low light. “Good boy,” he said, his voice tripping between mocking and sweet. “Now-” He gripped Akira’s chin, pulling him closer. With his other hand, he pulled his scarf off his neck. “Open your mouth.” Akira didn’t answer immediately, his hands flexing into fists. He looked down. “Come now, Akira, don’t pout. You wouldn’t deny me my last meal?”

“Akechi-” He was on him in a moment. His kiss was biting, bruising. Akira wanted to savor it, but Akechi gave him no quarter. He wished it were gentle, but, if it were, it would not be Akechi, so maybe not.

He lets Akechi devour him. He comes apart completely in his hands, lets him destroy him and rebuild him, is choked and bitten and beaten and degraded and crawls back for more again and again. Anything that Akechi wants, anything that will keep them together for even a moment longer.

When they finished, they laid together, not touching. Akira wanted so badly to fold Akechi into his arms, but he could barely move. Akechi laid just past the tips of his fingers. He was not wound like he usually was, but he also didn’t completely relax.

Normally, Akira would give into his body and fall asleep, wake up with a cold bed and no evidence of Akechi save what was on his own body. He didn’t want that. He kept his eyes trained on Akechi’s profile in the moonlight, trying to commit all of him to memory. Knowing did not make this any easier.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he eventually ventured. The question has been burning in the back of his mind. There was nothing to lose by asking anymore.

Akechi didn’t answer immediately. “I wasn’t certain at first.”

“That’s because you’re yourself, isn’t it?”

Akechi’s soft intake of breath is enough of a tell.

“You saw Okumura, the way that Haru’s wish changed him. But you’re not some fairy tale. When we met again, I was so relieved. Amazed, confused, but mostly just relieved.”

“I had no evidence,” insisted Akechi, as though Akira had not spoken. He sat up, turning away.

Akira watched Akechi closely. His shoulders were tight. “Because...why would I want  _ you _ ?”

Akechi stood. “We have much to do tomorrow. I should return,” he said without looking back at Akira.

Akira reached out and caught his wrist. Akechi stiffened but did not pull away. “Stay.”

“No.” His voice was distant, reedy. “I don’t want to.”

“Call it my price, then.” Akechi looked down at Akira incredulously. He grinned cheekily up at him. “Tomorrow we will sacrifice everything. Tonight-” He pulled gently and Akechi came back to the bed, kneeling next to him. “Tonight, let us dream one more dream.” Akira pulled him down into a kiss that was far too sweet for Akechi’s liking, but he didn’t pull away.

They laid in the dark, pulled the heavy comforter over them, entwined their limbs. They looked into each other’s eyes. “Akechi, I-” breathed Akira.

“No,” he said firmly, then pushed his hand over Akira’s eyes, closing them. “I will not tolerate such foolishness.”

Akira sighed, pushing into the touch. “As long as you know. As long as you know I’ll have no regrets.”

Akechi snorted derisively. “As if you could hide anything from me.”

Akira smiled, then pulled Akechi’s hand down to his lips for a soft kiss. “I  _ want _ you to know.”

They looked at each other, letting a lot stay unsaid between them. After a few silent moments, Akechi turned away, though he did not leave. Tiredness pulled at Akira, made his breath slow and his eyes droop. Akechi’s voice was soft, and it almost seemed like a dream. “I suppose...you may say it, once. Let it be our parting.”

Akira’s eyes widened. He almost let it slip past his lips in gratitude, just a little prayer. I love you, Akechi Goro. He took a deep breath, leaned forward, and kissed Akechi’s shoulder. “We still have a promise to keep,” he said instead.

Akechi turned back to Akira, eyes blazing, looking alive and angry and deeply, deeply pleased all at once. “So that is your answer?”

Akira blinked at him. “I will tell you when I have bested you again. Wait for me.”

Akechi dragged him forward and crushed their lips together. “I hate you,” he growled against Akira’s mouth, “I hate you and I hate this attic.” They pressed their foreheads together and Akira held him.

He cries, then, just hot tears without sobbing, his hands tightly clutching Akira’s sleep shirt. Akira just holds him and tells himself his own tears can wait.

In the morning, Akechi is gone.

They have had their parting.


End file.
